Microsoft originally told us that Surface Pro would bow in the January of this year, but it looks as though the Redmond, Washington-based company is running a bit behind schedule. Microsoft announced today that Surface Pro would actually launch on February 9 in the U.S. and Canada.

Unlike Surface RT, which runs Windows RT and lacks Windows software backwards compatibility due to its use of an ARM processor, Surface Pro can handle the entire Windows library thanks to Windows 8 Pro. The tablet packs in a Core i5 processor, 1080p display, Mini DisplayPort, and a USB 3.0 port. The tablet is also much pricier than its Surface RT counterpart, which starts at $499. The 64GB version is priced at $899 while the 128GB model will cost you $999.

This is great for school. The digitize pen is what makes it. You can actually draw graph, diagram even do math on it.

Even if you pick the 128GB, and a keyboard add-on, while you lose a few hours of battery life, it is smaller, and cheaper than the MacBook Air 128GB model. And you have Windows, while the MacBook Air it's potentially an extra cost, and you still don't have a digitize pen or any pen support for that mater.

Dude, Excel can plot a graph much precisely than a hand drawn graph, and I bet there are more software out there which can plot scientific/engineering grade graphs better than Excel did, and all of them can get precise values from keyboard input. If you are not talking about precision, a pen and a piece of graph paper will be more than suffice.

As for doing maths, if you are not a programmer, and is not planning to convert hand written maths formula into computerized format, a simple pen and a stack of paper is what you need.

Most students will find it hard to fork out that kinda money just to do what they usually do with pen and paper, unless, your last name is Gates.